Dental implants have been used for thousands of years to stabilize or replace missing teeth. The Egyptians began using gold wire to stabilize teeth as early as 2500 BC. The Mayans in 600 AD used pieces of shell in the lower jaw as some of the first true implants. In the 16th century, European doctors implanted human teeth sourced from cadavers into patients, gaining understanding of how blood vessels can grow into teeth. Modern dental implant technology builds on this long history of using implant-like structures to replace missing teeth.

1. A Brief History of Dental
Implants
By: Dan Holtzclaw, DDS

2. A Brief History of Dental Implants
Dan Holtzclaw, DDS, is a dental surgeon and 11-time Dentistry Today magazine “Leader
in Continuing Dental Education.” At Austin Dental Implant Center in Texas, Dan
Holtzclaw, DDS, offers the latest technology in reconstructive dental implant surgery.

3. A Brief History of Dental Implants
Research suggests that humans have been creating implant-like dental structures for
most of our existence. The Egyptians began using gold wire to stabilize teeth in 2500 BC.
Recovered manuscripts from this time suggest that techniques like this may have been
used to treat toothaches.

4. A Brief History of Dental Implants
The first true implants we know of were created in 600 AD. The Mayan people used
pieces of shells in the mandible to replace teeth. Radiographs of Mayan dental patient
show bone development around these implants that is similar to what modern implants
can produce.

5. A Brief History of Dental Implants
Doctors in Europe began implanting human teeth in the 16th century. They sourced teeth
from cadavers, often robbing graves to obtain them. This led to a greater understanding
of how blood vessels can grow into teeth, setting the stage for more sophisticated
implants early in the 20th century.